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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels Jul7 16, 2004 Our View Pay attention to the changes coming in Bend With an eye to the future, it would be wise for Ashland leaders to look to Bend in the coming weeks. Recognizing its growth has unmercifully sprawled far beyond what most would want, the city council is weighing an change to its building height limits in its downtown core. The current height, a maximum of 45 feet, could soon be changed to a maximum of 65 feet. The result would be new buildings that could top out at about six stories tall. Ashland has similar restrictions in place for its inner core - the Ashland Springs Hotel is the lone exception - currently in place. Bend planners fall on both sides of the issue, expressing a strong desire to do something to stop the sprawl, but also expressing reticence about devaluing smaller, more historic buildings. One person quoted in The Oregonian warns that any change, "if not done properly," could take away the city's small town charm. This clearly holds the issue of managed growth in proper tension. Density in the downtown, especially using the skies as opposed to dirt for increasing the density, can produce many favorable results, including economic revitalization and growth in the inner core of a city and helping to curb the aforementioned issue of stopping sprawl into surrounding agricultural areas. But, the threat of growing "poorly" is a real one when dealing with historic buildings and small town culture, of which Ashland has as much, if not more to offer and protect among Oregon cities. Simply put, there are no easy answers. But paying attention to the decisions, and possible mistakes of Bend, may help Ashland consider this possible creative solution for its own growth-related problems. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams